Initiatives to boost cane

GOVERNMENT initiatives for the sugar industry has seen an increase in the fertiliser subsidy from $9 million to $15.4m and new $6.3m weedicide subsidy will pay huge dividends this year.

This was the word from Naloto, Ba, grower Arun Sharma. He said Government’s financial boost combined with favourable weather would ensure an improved 2018 season.

“The fertiliser subsidy increase has really made a big difference because farmers now only pay $20 per 50kg bag compared with $31.50 before. So growers who previously used 10 bags per hectare are now using 15 bags and because of this and the very favourable weather, we could be looking at a 1.8 million tonne harvest this season.”

When quizzed about this year’s projected total harvest, the Fiji Sugar Corporation said it was early days yet.